Method of producing shade and color contrasts in textile fabrics



W. F. BIRD METHOD OF PRODUCING SHADE AND QOLOR June 15, 1943.

CONTRASTS IN TEXTILE FABRICS Filed Dec. 19, 1939 INVENTOR WHITWOQTH F. BHZD.

BY yaw/ W ATr RNEY v Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT FFlCi-':.

, METHOD OF PRODUCING SHADE AND COLOR CONTRASTS IN TEXTILE FABRICS Whitworth F. mm, Wallinglord. Pa., assignor to I Collins & Aikman Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware a Application December 19, 1939, Serial, No. 309,921

8 Claims.

My invention relates to an apparatus and method for producing multi-tone or multi-color effects on a base such as textile fabrics.

More particularly my invention comprises-the uniform application of a vehicle containing a dyestuff and the subsequent modification of the .effect .of such application before. the fixation of the dyes'suff to the fibers by steaming or other fixing step. This-modification may be effected by a localized treatment which will cause the unfixed dye to migrate because of dilution and/or which masks the fibers during the fixation step or which, because of uneven dampness, results in variation in the dye development' during fixing. w A preferred treatment according to my invention includes the localized application of a water soluble material as it is usually necessary to free the fabric of foreign matter beforev use as bywashing or rinsing. A- thickened water solution of gum tragacanth, gum arable, locust bean gum,

' starch or mixtures of these having suitable consistency and adhesive properties are examples of materials suitable for use' in this preferred practice of my improvements. Other materials such as volatile solvents for the chrestuff may also be locally applied to produce contrasts. The consistency of the material applied between the application of the dyestufi to the fibers and the fixation may vary between wide limits depending on the type of weave, the particular fibers and the amount-of control required for the particular effect desired. In most cases involving the use of water, thickened solutions are preferable. i V

My invention is especially useful but is not limited to obtaining multi-tone or multi-color effects on relatively thick fabrics such as cut pile fabrics, in which the fabric is of such texture and According to my imrovements, color contrasts can be obtained which are similar to those obtained by matched or block printing on pile fabrics which have been woven with a pre-dyed backing. It will thus be seen that definite pattern areas'as well as mottled effects can be produced according to my improvements. My effects can be produced at a small fraction of this has sufficient body to cause or permit migration of unfixed dyestuif toward the back or inner por-- tion away from the face or into the treating material when a material such as described above is applied locally to one. side. The structure of a woven pile fabric is suchthat the controlled migration of the unfixed dyestuif is aidedby the pile tufts affected by the localized treatment.

The unfixed dyestuif tends to follow the upright fibers of the pile tufts toward the back of the material. An example of a pile fabric to which my invention may be applied is illustrated and I described in prior Patent No. 2,070,335, issued v February 9, 1937. It'will. thus be seen that the invention contemplates a mechanical or physical action as opposed to chemical reactions involving the formation of new compounds.

cost. As will be hereinafter more fully set forth, printing over unflxed dyestuff may also be done in any color without the great modification in shade inherent in over-printing on. completely .dyed material. Dark colors may be over-printed with lighter colors and my process can be carried out with union dyeing operations. The dyestufl may be initially applied in any convenient and known manner and form, as for example, as set forth in Drobile et al., Patent No. 2,071,922, issued February 23, 1937. The modification of all-over vat dyeing processes are-also contem-' plated to be within the scope of my improvements, particularly when the vat dye-is applied and reduced to the leuco state after printing.

An object of my invention is to provide a method of producing multi-tone and multi-color effects on fabrics.

Another object is to provide a combination of machines for producing multi-tone or multi-color effects.

Another object is to modify a dyeing operation by a printing operation and to subsequently fix the color.

Another object is to provide a continuous method for obtaining multi-shade and color effects by controlling the migration of unflxed dyestufl in a fabric.

' .Another object is to control and localize the migration of unilxed dyestuif in a fabric by the use of printing gum.

Another object is to reduce the color effect 0 unfixed dye in localized areas which are overprinted.

These and other objects of invention will be manifest from a consideration of the following I La as 'drawing, the continuous feeding of a pllefabric A from a source of supply l to a dyeing apparatus 2 in which the fabric passes downwardly over guide rolls 3 and 4 into a trough 5 containing a bath of dyestuil dispersed in an aqueous vehicle. The fabric is introduced into the bath and emerges therefrom with the pile face side down so as to contact the print roller which applies the gum or solvent. The dye bath is maintained at a constant temperature by heatingcoils 6 and is maintained at a constant level by replenishment with a rehabilitating dye liquor supplied to the bath through a supply pipe 1 containing a control -valve 8. The rehabilitating liquor which is added to the bath substantially continuously compensates for absorption, exhaustion and evaporation and has a dyestufl concentration sufficient to maintain the dye bath substantially constant in its tinctorial value. The pipe 1 is connected with a receptacle 9 provided with an overflow pipe IQ for maintaining a constant level and pressure in the receptacle 9 which is supplied with a rehabilitating dye liquor from a mixing tank II. The overflow through the pipe HI may be collected in a tank l2 and returned to the mixing tank II by pump l3 and pipe I. Preferably, the bath in the trough 5 is maintained at a constant temperature which may be in the range from 180 to 210 F. and the pH value of the dye bath is controlled to maintain a constant and low exhaustion rate. The volume of the bath is kept as small as practicable while securing thorough admixture therewith of rehibilitating liquor and a thorough saturation of the fabric in passing therethrough.

and between the rollers I8 and l9.

In passing through the bath and the rollers, the

v such that the dyestuif is not completely exhausted into the fabric on leaving the nip rollers. The fiber while still damp with its entrained dye liquor is then passed over drag roll 20 and guide roll 2| and through the printing device.. The damp fabric as it enters the printing device may conveniently contain approximately 100% or less of moisture based on its dry weight. The pressure on the fabric as it passes through the printing device may be less than that resulting from the nip rollers of the pad box. It is only those portions of the fabric which engage the engraved sections" f the print rolle which are acted on printing device.

The printing device illustrated, is of known design and is conveniently mounted on a, stand 22. The essential elements of this printing mechanism is a trough 23 which holds the supply of treating material, a journalled and engraved roller .24 partially submerged below the treating material, an adjustable pressure roller such as the I during t e passage of the fabric through the dyestuif vehicle and dyestufi' entrained and to rubber or metal roller 25 positioned immediately over the engraved roller 24 and a rubber or metalv apron wiper 20 which is pivotally mounted on the frame 22 to cooperate with the engraved roller.

All the printing gum, solvent or treating material which is not in the engraved portions of the roll is thus wiped from the roll and flows back into the trough 23. The projecting pile fibers of the pile tufts position themselves within the engraved portion and absorb all of the treating material. f

' the dye, the fabric may move to finishing devices.

If desired, additional steps may be performed to remove any residual unfixed dyestuff and/or the foreign matter before finishing.

It is entirely feasible to introduce coloring materials into a printing gum used in my process. When this is done the localized action is the same as before and the gum controls both the action and the positioning of the coloring material carried by the gum. Surprisingly distinct patterns are produced by this application of superposed colors over unfixed dyestuffs in fabrics and the result obtained is distinctly different than that which results from over-printing previously dyed fabrics. Stencils or other convenient means may be used in connection with the localized treatment. It is obviously true that a base color will have a distinct effect on the ultimate color or shade 'obtained from over-printing and especially so when one color will not mask the other in ordinary over-printing. It will thus be seen that by partially removing the dyestui! before it is fixed, I approach the condition of superposing color on a substantially white background and that what color does exist in the printing area is effectively masked in the printing operation.

It will be seen that I have produced a method and comb nation of apparatus whereby I am enabled to produce contrasting shade and color effects on fibrous bases such as cotton, wool, etc., bya continuous process, and if desired without the use of the usual chemical discharge and resist materials.

While I have described my invention primarily in connection with thick fabrics such as pile fabrics wherein the peculiar structure aids in the control of the treatment, I do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the attached claims.

, Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a continuous process for obtaining contrasting visual effects on a fabric, the steps which consist in moving the fabric at a substantially constant rate through a dyebath containing an aqueous dyestufl vehicle and a dyestufl capable of being fixed to the fibers of the fabric, squeezing the fabric to regulate the amount of aqueous uniformly entrain the said vehicle and unfixed I dyestufi in the fabric, .locally and physically treating predetermined portions of the fabric containing entrained unfixed dyestufi and its aqueous vehicle by applying an aqueous medium which together with the aqueous dyestuif vehicle fabric a printing gum containing a solvent for causes a physical change-of the position of the unfixed dyestufi in the predetermined treated portions and then fixing the dyestuif to the fibers of the fabric.

2. In a continuous process for obtaining definite pattern areas on a fabric, the steps which consist in moving a fabric at a substantially constant rate through a dyebath containing a dyestuil solvent vehicle and a dyestuff capable of being fixed to the fibers of the fabric, squeezing the fabric to regulate the amount of dyestufi solvent vehicle and dyestufi entrained and to uniformly entrain the saidsolvent vehicle and unfixed dyestufi in the fabric, locally and physically treating predetermined portions of the fabric containing entrained unfixed dyestuff and its solvent vehicle by applying with pressure a printing gum which together with the solvent vehicle causes a physical change of the position of the unfixed dyestuff in the predetermined treated portions and then fixing the dyestuff to the fibers of the fabric.

3. In the continuous production of designs on textile pile fabrics, the steps which consist in uniformly applying unfixed dyestuff to the textile fabric, locally applying a water containing vehicle with pressure to predetermined areas of the face of the fabric to cause unfixed dyestuff to migrate into the fabric and away from its face. and then fixing the unfixed dyestufi to the textile fibers.

v4. In the continuous production of definite the said unfixed dyestuff bymeans of pressure, and then fixing the unfixed dyestufi to the fibers of the pile fabric.

b 5. In the production of definite pattern areas on textile pile fabrics, the stepswhich consist in uniformly applying unfixed dyestufi to the textile fabric, locally applying to predetermined portions of the face of the pile fabric a printing gum containing coloring matter in a solvent for the unfixed dyestufi said printing gum having suflicient body to control the positioning of the coloring matter contained in the gum after application to the fabric and being sufiiciently fluid to effect a change of position of the initially applied dyest'uif, and then fixing the unfixed dyestuii to the fibers of the pile fabric.

6. In the continuous production of definite pattern areas in textile pile fabrics the steps which consist in uniformly applying unfixed dyestuff to the face of the textile pile fabric, locally applying to predetermined areas of .the face of the pile fabric a solvent for the unfixed dye to cause the unfixed dye to migrate away from the face of the fabric, and then fixing the unfixed dyestuif to the pile fibers.

7.'The combination set forth in claim' 18 further characterized in that the aqueous medium contains a dyestufi which is fixed to the fabric simultaneously with the dyestufi initially applied. 1 8. The combination as set forth in claim 19 further characterized in that the printing gumcontains a dyestuff which is fixed to' the fabric simultaneously with the dyestuff initially applied.

' WHITWORTH F. BIRD.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION. Patent I0. 2,5213%. June 15,1915.

wnrruonm F. BIRD.

'It is hereby certified thaterror dppears in the printed specification of the above numbred patent requiring correction as follows'rPage- 3, second column, line 27, for "claim 18" read ---claim 1--; lino 32, forclaim 19' r ead --claim 2--; and'that the shitiLefiterSPatezi-t should be read with this correction therein that the same may .coniorm 0 the record of the 'case' in tho Patei1t Office. 7 A

Signed and sealed 1113 27131 day of mu -'11. n. 1915.

Henry Van Arsda1e,' (800.1) v -Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

